1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic storage box whose lid is opened and closed by input of cryptograph information, an opening and closing method of the electronic storage box, and the computer program product thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a storage box capable of locking a lid so as not to be opened by using a key has been used. As such storage box, for example, a piggy bank, a safe, and a suitcase can be cited. Such storage box is high in safety since a lid is not opened unless a key is used, and has been used widely.
Meantime, techniques of unlocking and locking without using a physical key have been disclosed, for example, in JP5-287944A (abstract), JP2002-342421A (abstract) and JP2003-41822A (abstract).
JP5-287944A discloses a technique which releases the locking of a box attached to electronic equipment by inputting a secrete code to electronic equipment such as a word processor. Further, JP2002-342421A discloses a technique which releases the locking of a private mail box by inputting information indicating an electronic key from a communication interface attached to the private mail box. Further, JP2003-41822A discloses a technique, which transmits a release signal from a mobile phone and releases the locking of appliances.
By utilizing the techniques disclosed in the patent documents, without using a physical key, but using cryptograph information such as a password and the like, the locking of the lid of the storage box can be electrically released.
Incidentally, in case a storage box with a key is given more security, portability, convenience, beauty of external appearance, and some dramatic presentation effects on occasions when the lid is opened, there is a possibility of the storage box being used for a wider variety of applications in addition to the application used for storing one's possessions in security. By developing such storage box, it is possible to cultivate a new market.
For example, such storage box has a possibility of being used as a box to be delivered from a giver to a recipient by putting a gift inside the box. In this case, when the lid of the storage box is constituted in such a manner as to be opened and closed through insertion of a physical key into the hole of a lock, though there is every possibility and danger of the recipient losing the key or the lid being opened through thievery of both the storage box and key by strangers, if the lock of the lid is electrically released by using the techniques disclosed in the patent documents, it is possible to enhance security.
Further, when the lock of the lid of the storage box is released, if the lid is not manually opened, but is controlled to slowly open in an opening direction, then it is convenient, and dramatic presentation effects can be enhanced. However, in case the structure for opening and closing the lid is made complicated, the cost thereof becomes expensive, and this makes it necessary to realize the box by a simple structure.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic storage box, an opening and closing method of the electronic storage box, and the computer program product thereof, which can solve the problems.